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Mary Quirk, left, and Domenica Angelozzi, both of Pottsville, look over jewelry by Valerie Perez at the annual local artist show and sale on Sunday
at the Greystone Restaurant, Pottsville.

County residents enjoyed arts, crafts and treats Sunday during the seventh annual Local Artists Show and Sale at The Greystone Restaurant in downtown Pottsville.

The free event was held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and featured more than 30 of the area's artists and artisans.

Among the items for sale were chocolates and cupcakes, hand-painted Christmas ornaments, soaps, pottery, jewelry and handmade Christmas cards.

"I'm very happy with the turnout and so are the vendors," Jerry Labooty, Greystone owner, said. "It's going be another successful event."

Labooty said the show has grown over the past seven years and he was expecting about 500 to 600 people to attend Sunday.

Domenica Angelozzi was among the local residents who came out to do some holiday shopping at the event.

"It's always a fun day and we always end up picking up presents and something for ourselves," Angelozzi said. "This is about our forth year coming to this."

Dottie Manion, Saint Clair, said she was doing some shopping for herself.

It's beautiful and I think it's wonderful that they have something like this," Manion said. "We made some purchases that we think we're going to enjoy."

Manion said she likes to take advantage of the locally crafted items since it's something she doesn't often find.

Since the show was all about the local artists, it attracted people from throughout the county. Some have been coming since it its inception.

Mary Byrne, Pottsville, who previously owned Mad Potter, 6 S. Centre St., Pottsville, which now has new owners and is called Mud & Maker, said she's been attending the show since "the very beginning."

"It started out only being five artists," Byrne said.

Bryne, who was selling some of her pottery and ornaments, said she always does well selling her items every year, as do all the other artists, and she's thrilled for that.

Although Bryne doesn't have her shop anymore, Mud & Maker carries some of her pieces, including the ornaments she was selling for $5 each at the show.

Byrne said that for each ornament she sells, $2 is donated to the Hillside SPCA, Pottsville, and the ornaments also are available for purchase at both Hillside and Mud & Maker.

Sarah Moyer, Pottsville, another local artist, also attended. It was her second time a the show, she said.

Moyer sold hand-painted ornaments, which she started making several years ago when she was a single mother with three children, working as a hairstylist and in need of a gift for a Christmas exchange.

Thanks to her mother, who always pushed her into art, she went to a dollar store, bought some glass ornaments and started painting them. Her enterprise progressed from there.

All of her hand-painted ornaments and glasses have different themes.

"I got inspired for the beach theme when I was in the Bahamas last year," Moyer said. "Whatever comes into my mind, I go with it."

A new additions this year included fresh wreaths and garland plus the Love Hot Dog Co., Harleysville, offering wieners.

Jason Brown, owner of the company, said he came to the show to help out The Greystone chefs since the kitchen isn't open during the show.

The hot dog company sets up daily in Skippack.

"We're known for our exotic stuff," Brown said.

While his fare includes regular hotdogs, it also includes special dogs Brown makes such as smoked duck, ostrich, crocodile, wild boar and venison.

He also makes 10 types of chili and 28 soups.

"We're active in the community down there outside Philadelphia," Brown said. "It's nice to leave your comfort zone and come help somebody else out."

The show also included free musical entertainment with the Jubilatte Bells Choir and the Original Male Byzantine Choir, plus complimentary hors d'oeuvres, coffee and hot chocolate.

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